Member Article

Julie nominated in UK’s largest diversity awards  

Local role model, Julie Ryder of Bacup in Lancashire has been nominated for a prestigious national award.

Julie, who is Director and Founder of award winning workplace training and consultancy company, HearFirst has been nominated in the positive role model award under the disability category of the 2014 National Diversity Awards.

The ceremony celebrates some of the excellent and inspiring achievements of positive role models and community organisations from across the UK. The awards aim to recognise nominees in their respective fields of diversity including age, disability, gender, race, faith, religion and sexual orientation.

Julie became profoundly deaf in her late twenties and after working as a volunteer with the Sympathetic Hearing Scheme and then as a committee member, she set up and started her own deaf awareness training business, HearFirst in 2002.

Now in its twelfth year, the company has worked with over 140 clients in the public, private and third sectors delivering bespoke training to over 30,000 delegates in areas such as equality and diversity, disability awareness, British Sign Language (BSL) and Mental Health Awareness.

The National Diversity Awards, which are held in association with Microsoft, will be held at a glittering ceremony at The Hurlingham Club, London in September. Britain’s most inspirational people will come together to honour the rich tapestry of our nation, recognising individuals and groups from grass roots communities who have contributed to creating a more diverse and inclusive society.

The largest diversity awards ceremony of its kind has attracted a growing list of top employers such as Sky, Financial Ombudsman Service and Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Amongst last year’s winners was James Partridge, who spear-headed campaigns for social change and pushed for anti-discrimination protection. Jessica Huie won the entrepreneur of excellence award for race, faith & religion, for setting up the UK’s most successful multicultural Greeting Card and Gift Company. Birmingham LGBT were also recognised for opening the first LGBT Health & Wellbeing Centre in England and Wales.

Paul Sesay, Chief Executive of The National Diversity Awards said, ‘It is an honour to witness the extraordinary journeys of Britain’s unsung diversity heroes, and we will continue to recognise their extraordinary achievements during 2014’.

‘I know another fantastic spectacle of role models will be delivered and recognised this year’.

Commenting on her nomination, Julie said: “I am delighted to be nominated in these awards. It is a testament to the services we provide and to appreciate that they are recognised within the positive role model category.

“Our aim is to deliver training that results in real changes being made for real people and we are passionate about achieving our goals and providing quality, inspiring and innovative Awareness and Equality training / consultancy.

“To be shortlisted, I need as many votes as possible and as a local Lancashire company, I am counting on local people and businesses to show their support.”

To vote for Julie, please visit www.hearfirst.org.uk and click on the National Diversity Awards ‘Nominate Here’ button on the homepage. The closing date for nominations is July 18th 2014.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by HearFirst .